Medical Biochemistry

Poster and oral presentations

Joint Parasitology Spring Meeting | March 11-14, 2025 | Würzburg, Germany 

  • L. De Vocht, G. Caljon, Y. G.-J. Sterckx. Identification of potent single-domain antibodies against the malaria sporozoite through a synthetic single-domain antibody library containing unconventional diversification strategies. (Poster presentation)
  • W. De Cleene, L. Boeykens, D. Diaz, K. De Meulenaere, A. Rosanas-Urgell, Y. G.J. Sterckx. Elucidating the molecular basis for the recognition of human basigin by Plasmodium vivax tryptophan-rich antigens. (Poster presentation)


Proteolytic Enzymes and Their Inhibitors (GRC) | June 9 - 14, 2024 | Lucca (Barga), Italy

  • A. de Groot, E. Verhulst, Y. Van Rymenant, P. Van Wielendaele, K. Adhikari, S. Grintsevich, A. Fabisiak, P. Brzeminski, J. Wals, Y.G.-J. Sterckx, P. Van der Veken, F. Elvas, I. De Meester. FAPI-PLA: Accelerating the preclinical development of Fibroblast Activation Protein Alpha-targeted theranostics through a highly interdisciplinary in vitro platform. (Poster presentation)


Proteolytic Enzymes and Their Inhibitors (GRS) | June 8 - 9, 2024 | Lucca (Barga), Italy

  • A. de Groot, E. Verhulst, Y. Van Rymenant, P. Van Wielendaele, K. Adhikari, S. Grintsevich, A. Fabisiak, P. Brzeminski, J. Wals, Y.G.-J. Sterckx, P. Van der Veken, F. Elvas, I. De Meester. FAPI-PLA: Accelerating the preclinical development of Fibroblast Activation Protein Alpha-targeted theranostics through a highly interdisciplinary in vitro platform. (Oral presentation)

Poster and oral presentations <2024

Single-Domain Antibodies Conferenc | September 18-20, 2023 | Paris, France

  • R. Geens*, L. De Vocht*, M.C. Aguirre-Botero, C. Vincke, E. Romão, S. Magez, S. Muyldermans, R. Amino, Y. G.-J. Sterckx. sdAbs against PfaCSP demonstrate that the a-epitope is exposed and accessible on the surface of malaria midgut sporozoites. (Poster presentation)

      *Co-presenting authors


21st Forum of Pharmaceutical Sciences, organised by the Belgian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences | April 27-28, 2023 | Blankenberge, Belgium

  • M. Florindo Espadinha, J. De Loose, S. Benramdane, S. Corthaut, P. Van Wielendaele, Y.G.-J. Sterckx, I. De Meester, P. Van Der Veken. DPP8/9 Degradation by Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs). (Oral presentation)

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Netherlands Society on Biomolecular Modelling Fall Meeting | October 27, 2022 | Ixelles, Belgium

  • ​L. Boeykens, L. De Vocht, S. Das, O. Silvie, Y.G.-J. Sterckx. Structure-function relationship of the malaria sporozoite 6Cys proteins. (Poster presentation)

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3rd International Caparica Conference on Leishmaniasis | October 24-26, 2022 | Lisbon, Portugal

  • E. Wuyts*, S. Wyllie, V. Postis, M. De Rycker, M. A. Domagalska, J. Dujardin, G.Caljon, Y. G.J. Sterckx. Molecular basis for the potency and selectivity of TCMDC-143345, a promising lead for the development of novel anti-leishmanial drugs. Caparica. (Poster and shotgun presentation)

      *Awarded a poster award


Gordon Research Conference: Proteolytic Enzymes and Their Inhibitors | June 6-9, 2022 | Lucca, Italy

  • J. De Loose, K. Mertens, Y. Van Rymenant, K. Claesen, S. Thys, I. Pintelon, Y.G.-J. Sterckx, P. Van Der Veken, I. De Meester. Unveiling DPP9 and CARD8 expression in primary human dendritic cells. (Oral and poster presentation)

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Annual scientific meeting of the Belgian Society of Parasitology and Protistology | November 30, 2021 | Antwerp, Belgium

  • R. Geens, J. Stanisich, S. Magez, H. De Winter, P. Van Wielendaele, F. Sobott, R. Amino, A.N. Volkov, P. Tompa, Y.G.-J. Sterckx. Investigating the structure-function relationship of the malaria parasite circumsporozoite protein. (Oral presentation)

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Research Day - Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences | October 29, 2021 | Antwerp, Belgium

  • R. Geens, J. Stanisich, S. Magez, P. Van Wielendaele, F. Sobott, R. Amino, A.N. Volkov, P. Tompa, Y.G.-J. Sterckx. Investigating the structure-function relationship of the malaria parasite circumsporozoite protein. (Oral presentation)


American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Conference Serine proteases in pericellular proteolysis and signaling | October 28-30, 2021 | Virtual

  • J. De Loose, K. Claesen, S. Struyf, P. Van Der Veken, Y. G.J. Sterckx, I. De Meester. In vitro differentiation of atherosclerosis-related primary human macrophages to study DPP9: a challenging story. (Poster presentation)
  • Y. Van Rymenant*, M. Tanc, R. Van Elzen, A. Bracke, O. De Wever, A.M. Lambeir, M. Kockx, P. Van Der Veken, I. De Meester. Design and characterization of fluorescent Activity-based probes for imaging fibroblast activation protein (FAP) activity in the tumor microenvironment. (Oral presentation)

      *Awarded a Flash Talk Award


4th European Congress on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ECTH2021) | October 14-15, 2021 | Genth, Belgium

  • K. Claesen*, Y. Sim, A. Bracke, M. De bruyn, E. De Hert, G. Vliegen, A. Hotterbeekx, A. Vujkovic, F. De Winter, E. Vlieghe, K. Vercauteren, S. Kumar-Singh, I. De Meester, D. Hendriks. Evaluation of the carboxypeptidase U (CPU, TAFIa, CPB2) system in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. (Poster presentation)

      *Awarded a Poster Award


XXIX ISTH Congress and 66th Annual SSC meeting | July 17-21, 2021 | Virtual

  • K. Claesen, K. Hermans, L. Roth, JC. Mertens, I. De Meester, GRY. De Meyer, D. Hendriks. Downregulation of the procarboxypeptidase U (proCPU, TAFI, proCPB2) system in ApoE-/-Fbn1C1039G+/- mice is a non-lipid related pleiotropic effect of statin therapy. (Poster presentation)
  • JC. Mertens, V. Blanc-Guillemaud, K. Claesen, P. Cardona, D. Leenaerts, B. Tyl, D. Hendriks, CA. Molina. Carboxypeptidase U (CPU, TAFIa, CPB2) generation in acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy. (Poster presentation)

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27th BSTH Annual Meeting | November 28-29, 2020 | Mechelen, Belgium

  • JC. Mertens*, D. Leenaerts, W. Boisseau, L. Di Meglio, S. Loyau, AM. Lambeir, C. Ducroux, M. Jandrot-Perrus, JB. Michel, M. Mazighi, D. Hendriks, JP. Desilles. Evaluation of the time course of Carboxypeptidase U (CPU, CPB2, TAFIa) generation and influence of AZD9684, a selective CPU inhibitor, in experimental rat stroke models. (Oral presentation)
  • K. Claesen, JC. Mertens, S. De Belder, J. Maes, J. Bosmans, H. Stoffelen, I. De Meester, D. Hendriks. Evaluation of the influence of statin therapy on proCPU (TAFI, proCPB2) biology in patients eligible for statin therapy. (Oral presentation)

      *Awarded with the Paul Capel Prize Basic research for the best oral presentation


GRS and GRC on Plasminogen Activation and Extracellular Proteolysis | February 9-14, 2020 | Ventura, United States

  • JC. Mertens*, D. Leenaerts, W. Boisseau, L. Di Meglio, K. Claesen, S. Loyau, A.M. Lambeir, C. Ducroux, M. Jandrot-Perrus, JB. Michel, M. Mazighi, D. Hendriks, JP. Desilles. Selective inhibition of CPU reduces microvascular thrombosis in an experimental rat stroke model. (Oral and poster presentation) 
  • K. Claesen, JC. Mertens, C. Whyte, NJ. Mutch, D. Hendirks. Comparison of generation of CPU (TAFIa, CPB2) activity in two in vitro clot lysis systems. (Poster presentation)

      *Awarded a GRC Poster Commendation Award


BSHT Annual Scientific Meeting | January 23-24, 2020 | Birmingham, United Kingdom

  • CS. Whyte, S. Westbury, R. Campbell Tait, NJ. Mutch, K. Kate Downes, JC. Mertens, K. Claesen, D. Hendriks, E. Leishman, A. Mumford. N.I.H.TR. Bio Resource. Coinheritance of TAFI variant ameliorates fibrinolytic alterations induced by thrombomodulin-associated coagulopathy. (Oral presentation)

 

BSPS 2019 Forum of Pharmaceutical Sciences | May 20, 2019 | Brussels, Belgium

  • JC. Mertens, K. Claesen, D. Leenaerts, Y. Sim, AM. Lambeir, D. Hendriks. The caboxypeptidase U system (CPU, TAFIa, CPB2) is inhibited by hemolysis in in vitro assays. (Oral presentation)
  • M. De bruyn, H. Ceuleers, J. De Man, N. Hanning, K. Augustyns, AM. Lambeir, B. De Winter, I. De Meester. Proteolytic activities in a rat TNBS-induced colitis model: influence of a single dose serine protease inhibitor treatment (UAMC0050). (Oral presentation)
  • E. De Hert, E. Janssens, I. De Meester. Prolyl carboxypeptidase as apelin-cleaving enzyme in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. (Oral presentation)
  • G. Vliegen, K. Kehoe, A. Bracke, E. De Hert, R. Verkerk, E. Fransen, B. ‘s Jongers, E. Peters, AM. Lambeir, S. Kumar-Singh, P. Pickkers, PG. Jorens, I. De Meester. Plasma proline‐specific peptidases in sepsis patients - Association with inflammatory, hemodynamic and metabolic parameters. (Oral presentation)

 

11th General meeting of the International Proteolysis Society | September 29-October 4, 2019  | Prague, Czech Republic

  • M. De bruyn*, U-H. Stenman, H. Koistinen, I. De Meester. Peptide cleavage patterns as an approach to investigate serine protease activity. (Poster presentation)
  • G. Vliegen, K. Kehoe, A. Bracke, E. De Hert, R. Verkerk, E. Fransen, B. ’s Jongers, E. Peters, AM. Lambeir, S. Kumar-Singh, P. Pickkers, PG. Jorens, I. De Meester. Proline-specific enzymes as potential biomarkers in septic shock patients (sepsis-2). (Poster presentation)
  • A. De Decker**, G. Vliegen**, S. Benramdane, D. Van Rompaey, A. Peeraer, A. Bracke, L. Verckist, R. Geiss-Friedlander, K. Augustyns, I. De Meester, AM. Lambeir, P. Van Der Veken. Novel Small Molecule-Derived, Highly Selective Substrates for Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP). (Poster presentation)

      * IPS Traval Award

      ** First two authors contributed equally

 

Joint 12th EBSA & 10th ICBP-IUPAP Biophysics congress | July 20-24, 2019 | Madrid, Spain

  • P. Van Wielendaele, AM. Lambeir, Y. Sterckx, I. De Meester. Molecular interaction analysis of peptidases: from small molecule inhibitors to large macromolecules. (Poster presentation)

 

XXVII ISTH Congress and 65th Annual SSC meeting | July 6-10, 2019 | Melbourne, Australia

  • JC. Mertens, K. Claesen, D. Leenaerts, Y. Sim, AM. Lambeir, D. Hendriks. Inhibition of the procarboxypeptidase U (proCPU, TAFI, proCPB2) system due to hemolysis. (Poster presentation)


Hercules User Meeting, Phospho-peptide Kinome Profiling PamChip platform | 2019 | Antwerp, Belgium

  • G. Vliegen, C. Perez Novo, M. De bruyn, AM. Lambeir, W. Vanden Berghe, I. De Meester. The effect of the DPP8/9-inhibitor 1G244 on kinases in murine macrophages. (Oral presentation)

 

Departmental Research Day Pharmaceutical Sciences | 2019 | Antwerp, Belgium

  • G. Vliegen, K. Kehoe, A. Bracke, E. De Hert, R. Verkerk, E. Fransen, B. ‘s Jongers, E. Peters, AM. Lambeir, S. Kumar-Singh, P. Pickkers, PG. Jorens, I. De Meester. Plasma proline‐specific peptidases in sepsis patients - Association with inflammatory, hemodynamic and metabolic parameters. (Oral presentation)

 

ABPP 2019 Target Discovery and Visualisation using Chemical Probes | March 27-29, 2019 | Leuven, Belgium

  • A. De Decker*, G. Vliegen*, S. Benramdane, D. Van Rompaey, A. Peeraer, A. Bracke, L. Verckist, K. Jansen, K. Augustyns, H. De Winter, I. De Meester, AM. Lambeir, P. Van Der Veken. Novel Small Molecule-Derived, Highly Selective Substrates for Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP). 

      * First two authors contributed equally